Chap. 15.1 BY SENSIBLE OBJECTS. 247 Bering thoughts devour the meditations intended for heaven, theydevour the life and joyof thy thoughts ; therefore drive them away from thy sacrifice., and strictly keep thy heart to the work. 4. Abruptly ending thy meditation before it is well begun, is another way in which thy heart will deceive thee, Thou mayst easilyperceive this in other duties. In secret prayer, is not thy heart urging thee to cut it short, and frequently making a motion to have done ? So in heavenly contem- plation, thy heart will be weary of the work, and will stop thy heavenly walk before thou art well warm. But charge it in the name of God to stay, and not do so great a work by halves. Say to it, ' Foolish heart ! if thou beg awhile, and goest away before thou hast thy alms, is not thy begging a lost labor? If thou stoppest before the end of thy journey, is not thy travel lost ? Thou tamest hither in hope to have a sight of the glory which thou must inherit ; and wilt thou stop When thou art almost at the top of the hill, and turn back before thou hast taken thysurvey ? Thoutamest hither in hope to speak with God ; and wilt thou go before thou hast seen him? Thou earnest to bathe thyself in the streams of consolation, and to that end didst unclothe thyself of thy earthly thoughts.; and wilt thou only touch the bank and return ? Thou earnest to ` spy out the landof promise ;' go not back without ' one cluster of grapes to show thy bre- `thren; for-that encouragement. Let them see that thou hast tasted of the wine by the gladness of thy heart ; and that thou hast been anointedwith the oil, by the cheerfulness of thy countenance; and hast fed of the milk and honey, by the mildness of thy disposition and the sweetness of thy conversation. This heavenly lire would melt thy frozen heart, and refine and spiritualize it ; but it must have time to operate." Thus pursue the work till something be done, till thy graces be in exercise, thy affections raised, and thy soul refreshed with the delights above ; or, if thou canst not attain these ends at once, be the more earnest at another time. " Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing."
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